Anyway, so we move in mid-May and I am just so excited.  I have plans for getting some nice potted plants and some cheap craigslist furniture…it’s gonna be pretty sweet.  Um and for all you New Yorkers I know you are dying to ask how much the rent is on this place and I will answer you $1100…that’s a nice $550 each per month.  I know, don’t hit me….now now…stop your crying…it’s gonna be ok.  Also…they are building a free fitness center for the residents and a game room with a billiards table…ouch!  I said don’t hit me!

In other news I got a gig hosting bar quizes for Geeks Who Drink on Saturday at the Whiskey Br and starting in a few weeks Thursday nights at Fado’s as well.  It’s a totally sweet deal.  Not only do I get paid, but I get a bar tab and I have tons of fun.  Imagine me and a microphone.  Ha! I also post a blog the next day so that’s where I’ve been doing my blogging lately. 

Everything else in my life is going pretty well.  I can’t complain about much of anything.  Well, I could, but my office is very small…

That being said, I don’t want to give this up.  I also don’t want it to turn into some cheesy-ass diary about how awesome my life is.  Cause who wants to read that shit?

I don’t want to wish to go back to my old ways either.  Who wants to only ready about my insomnia and various temp jobs?  Ok, the temp jobs were sort of funny.  And I still sometimes miss my one temp boss who told me “make the files or else it gets the hose again”. 

My goal for 2008 is to get my finances back on track so it’s going to be a slim year of livng.  Although I’m sure it won’t hold me back from seeing my share of movies…it will however keep me from taking a trip across the ocean, or even across the country I’m afraid.  My very practical sister Celia has sent me a budget spreadsheet.  I’m pretty sure if I printed it out it would take up about 10 feet of carpeting.  Celia is a budget maniac!  I think she will get me on the right track though…if anyone can do it, she can.

OK, so I’m gonna go back to counting down the minutes before I can leave work and go watch Eagle vs. Shark on DVD. 

Bouquet of flowers - from M (new man - hehe - Denver is awesome)

Lost Cities game - from M (which I immidiately made him play, multiple times and would have made him play more if it weren’t for the fact I want to rope him in slowly to this obsession I have with this game)

The Book of General Ignorance - from J and Liz (I think they realized that by purchasing this book it will only increase my knownledge of all things random and therefore help our Geeks Who Drink team.)  I’ve already learned that the Blue Whale is 105 feet long and has a stomach opening a little over the size of a salad plate.  I’ve also learned that the mosquito has killed more people than any other living thing on the planet.  Marmots come in second.  I could go on forever about Marmots and why this is true, but then what would I talk about at parties?

I am America and So Can You, by Stephen Colbert - Also from Liz and J, I think they must have peeked at my Amazon wish list, either that or they are psychic…and totally awesome.

Lens cleaner and cloth - from M, and technically not wrapped for my birthday, but given to me on what I annoyingly referred to as my “birthday weekend” and I didn’t pay for it so technically they should be included on this list.

Brunch- from M (I’ve become a very costly girlfriend by this point) He wouldn’t let me pay for anything, which was totally awesome, but by the end of the day I felt completely guilty and I’m pretty sure I’m gonna take him out to dinner very soon.

Dinner at Casa Bonita - sponsored by Liz, J, M, and a whole bunch of other people who came and helped me celebrate.  They have cliff divers and it is Cartman’s favorite restaurant - so how can you go wrong?  I’ll tell ya, actually eat the food.  My stomach hurts this morning (and I’m sure it has nothing to do with the margaritas or the whiskey piled on to the food later in the evening).  John gave us all a fabulous tour of the place…which took, I swear about 3 days to complete.  It’s pretty funny, the waitress asked if we had all seen the South Park episode and John, who has been going to Casa Bonita his whole life said, “I didn’t need to see it, I lived it.”  hahahaha. 

A balloon - from Zoe (who was in from NYC visiting! Whoo) This balloon came out of a machine, I’d never seen anything like it. 

An egg prize from those clucking egg machines, which oddly featured a parrot, and not a chicken - from Zoe

A dinosaur finger puppet - won from everyone playing skeeball and giving me their tickets. 

A fake tattoo of Bruce, the shark from Finding Nemo, which is now stuck on my right wrist - won from (see above)

I also received multiple quarters to play games and stuff.  It was awesome and by the end of the casa bonita experience I felt like a 7 year old.  Especially as I sat out by the fountain holding my balloon and playing with my finger puppet. 

After the fine dining experience a handfull of hardcore birthday enthusiasts, mainly, myself, M, J, Liz, Zoe, and Becca made our way to karaoke where I think the high point came when a very demure lady wearing a pretty white eyelet skirt and black top stepped on stage and proceded to sing Snoop Doggs’s Drop it Like it’s Hot.  Awesome. 

In summary, my birthday rocked and I have awesome friends. 

This weekend was pretty jam packed with activities.  In addition to my birthday I attended M’s company holiday party which took place at the football stadium.  It’s was pretty damn cool.  I got to walk on the sidelines.  I wanted to learn how to tackle, but no one seemed available to teach me.  This weekend was also Liz’s fabulous Denver’s Next Top Model party, which was so awesome.  I was the final designer for the final walk off challenge, which meant I had to come up with 6 designs.  I had fun with it.  Let’s just say my one design was meant to represent the melting ice caps and another was a unicorn.  I’m sure pictures will emerge shortly on Flickr. 

Yeah for weekends full of good times.

I was online and catching up with an old friend from college, and he told me that my ex-boyfriend of 5 years, who told me he never wanted to get married or settle down and have kids, is now married and buying a house. That was kind of traumatic. Still is, actually. Even though I know I’m better off now and have an even better guy and a happier life, I still can’t help being pissed off. And I’m not sure what to do about it.  How do I put that heartache behind me?

Yours,

Ol’Heartachey

Dear Ol’Heart,

I’ve always felt that once you love someone, I mean really love someone, you will always love them - until the day your heart stops beating.  And that doesn’t mean you will pine for them or wish that it was you they were kissing, but you will always have a spot for them in your brain, filed under - Sigh.  (Feel free to use other file categories if Sigh doesn’t work for you)  That being said, it’s completely normal to feel that pang when you hear someone you loved is preparing to devote his/her life to another - especially if that person was never prepared to do the same for you.  In your case, there is the added knife in the gut because you realize that, in reality the boy you loved wasn’t against marriage - He was against marrying you. 

This sounds so harsh and I know it is, but those are just the facts.  Emotionally there could be so many other factors.  Your ex-boyfriend is now older…and perhaps more prepared for marriage.  Your ex-boyfriend could have knocked-up his bethrothed thus hastening a speedy wedding before her professional hit man father decides to hunt him down.  Your ex-boyfriend, having gone through a break-up and losing a previous girlfriend (you) because he wouldn’t settle down decided he didn’t want to go through that again and just gave in.  Your ex-boyfriend could have merely just changed his mind because he realized that growing older and alone just wasn’t the way he wanted to go. 

That being said, rejoice in the fact that you, gorgeous, have a lovely boyfriend who you are happy with and who, hopefully, gives you good lovin on a regular basis.

Feel free to be a little sad about the final loss of the ex-love, but don’t be sad he changed his mind about marriage.  You two weren’t meant to be together.  Be thankful one of you realized that and you were free to go on to better lives.  Separate, but so much better.

So, where shall I begin….Liz and I were booted from Ultimate Blogger 3.  I don’t think it was merit based, considering the talentless TJ S-Norris is still alive and kicking.  No, we was robbed!  Although, I must admit I enjoyed my quiet weekend of non-competition based thoughts.  I’m hoping G-Rad takes the cake, but the alliance of Body City and Existential Media is pretty tight.  We will have to wait and see what happens. 

Next news - I got me a job!  Whooop!  Yes sir and or madam, I am once again gainfully employed.  So, step one - done, Step two - get me an apartment (I’m checking out places this weekend), Step three - get me a vehicle! (which I think needs to wait until I have a few paychecks under my belt and also the apartment is more important than the car at this point..although I suppose I could sleep in my car.  Hmmm, thoughs.)  As of right now I am the loser friend that has to rely others to pick them up…this will have to do for a bit longer.  I’m just going to pretend I am really environmentally focused and don’t want to sully the air with one more car…yeah…that’s what I’ll do.)  

So that’s all the news.  No more UB3 and I have a JOB.  Other than that I am filling up my days with the usual ANTM watching (goooo Asbergers!), meeting new people, and this week I’m also going to see some live music.  Excellent.  I’ve been told that I better get my fill of autumn concerts in Denver because come the winter the musicians stay far away…no one wants to get stuck in a Colorado snow storm.  

And then I got shanked.

My brother is taking a bunch of college courses like ethics, humanities, english, piano, physics, geometry, geography, orchestra, basically everything, and he has to write 100 page papers for every one of these classes. He wants me to help him write these endless papers at midnight every night. So he drags me into the computer room to sit with him while he sings along to Les Miserables and doesn’t write. It is highly entertaining for awhile, but I am tired, and these 100 page papers aren’t any closer to getting finished. Thanks for you wisdom BF.

(Insert clever pseudonym here. My brain is mush.) Ok, I will, and I choose Sucker Sister.

Dear SS,

Oh man I remember those days.  I sat for hours in my bedroom as a teenager singing On My Own…oh God, here I go…I can’t stop it - On my own pavement shines like silver…Oh and the best part would be when the climax of the song comes and you sing out - And I know, it’s only in my mind!  When I’m talking to myself and not to him….oh man…that’s some great stuff.   I know I wasn’t the only one who used to sing this song alone in her room at 14 (Jennie B).

Anyway, back to your dilemma.  Sister it seems like on one hand you have one little over achieving brother on your hand.  (He’s got one heavy course load.  He must go to one crazy school, I don’t think I ever had to write a hundred page paper.)  And on the other hand you have a brother that is probably so overwhelmed he reaches out to the only two things that make him feel like they can help…you and show tunes.  I think it’s great he feels like you can help him as long as it’s just help.  Do you think he feels that if he sings enough depressing numbers you will feel just like Jean Vajean and want to do everything for him?  Stealing a loaf of bread for your family is one thing and doing all your brothers work is another.  And what’s with this waiting until midnight to ask for assistance?  Sounds to me like your brother has a bad case of the Fuck!  I’m in over my head so I’m just going to ignore everything and hope it will go away disease, but in the meantime I’m going to try one last ditch effort and see if someone else will do it all for me…which is one step above the…maybe it will all go away part….trust me on this…I’ve been there.

If I can offer you any advice it would be to sit down with your brother and say - Listen dude, I want to be able to help you.  I like the fact you think I can get you through rough patches, but this is your work, not mine.  If you want me to help you work through some tough pages or edit some stuff, let me know…in advance and definitely not at midnight…or even after prime time television is over.   But little dude, I can’t do your work for you.  I would then ask him if he feels overwhelmed and perhaps offer to help him figure out if he can drop a course or two.  Get him to speak with an adviser at the school who might be able to speak with him about getting back on track, or even offer some thoughts about extensions.  I know the over-achievers of this world don’t like to admit they can’t do it all, but your brother might be using his late night vocal stylings as a call for help.

And if anything, perhaps he should consider a future in musical theater.  He could drop everything except piano and orchestra and just focus on what makes him happy, which in this case is poor French people and the heartbreak of unrequited love.

Yours,

Krista Overby Best Friend

I know, I’ll rate my temp job!  Yeah!

Of course, the temp ratings are as follows:

1 = Hellish
3 = Are they serious with this shit?
5 = Fine, if you have no expectations
7 = Niiiice
10 = Are there any job openings?

I grade the following perks: snacks and drinks, chair, other admins, boss man, location, and extras.

1.  Snacks and Drinks - (6) I knew when I moved to Denver the work scene would be a little different.  I don’t know why or in what way, it’ just something I thought…in my head.  So, basically I had low expectations.  Saying that I was pleasantly surprised when the company I’ve been temping for - I’ll call it, Doctors Can Be Pricks, offered free water and diet coke.  Nice work.  Sadly, they don’t offer coffee, although they do have a coffee maker…but no one ever makes the coffee.  Perhaps I should?  Nah…I’ll just complain about not having any.
2.  Chair - (5) - I haven’t really thought much about my chair, which can only mean it’s fully adequate.  In fact I couldn’t even tell you what color it is and I’ve worked there almost 3 weeks.

3.  Other Admins - (7) - it’s a really small office.  Only 3 other people.  They are very nice.   Of course, everyone seems to be nice in Denver.  Oh, everyone except the Doctors I have to work with.  Luckily, I only have to deal with them via email and the phone, but the majority of my interactions involve them being total dicks.  Today I got an email from a Doctor telling that, “in health care we use the title Doctor when addressing an email” I mistakenly thought she was a nurse and didn’t write, Dear Dr. when emailing her about something…it was a really patronizing email and I wish I could remember the whole thing.  Jeez, I know she was in school while I was spending my time smoking pot and reading crappy novels, but shit man, give a temp a break.  I would have figured it out eventually and seriously, do you think getting an email every now and again that doesn’t address you as Doctor would really be so bad?  Next time I write you I’m gonna address you as Doctor, but in my head all I’m going to be thinking about is bitch bitch bitch.

4.  Boss Man - (7) - He’s a strangely reticent individual.  He doesn’t speak much, but he seems fine.  I wish I could say more…he has a nice beard.

5.  Location - (6) - When I drive, it’s a dream.  It’s probably the shortest commute I’ve ever had.  Only about 15 minutes door-to-door.  And they have me a remote door opener to the underground parking lot…sweet.  However, I don’t get the car all the time…especially now that I’ve been told my driving days are over and now I move into the days of public transportation.  Today was my first day as a bus commuter.  The journey was short, but the wait for the bus was way long.  The buses only come about twice and hour, which sucks.  It took me over an hour to get home today…suckety suck suck.  The buses are nice here though.  They are rarely crowded and the seats are padded…lux!

6.  Extras - (7) - I got taken out to lunch the other day!  Whooo.  It was Mongolian barbecue…nice.  I love a good buffet o meat.  They also brought me back a water bottle from some conference.  Whoop.  The profits of tempdom are high.  Sure, you don’t get benefits and you know that tomorrow you could be told not to come in, but then again…you get the pleasure in knowing that tomorrow you might not have to come in.

I went on an interview for temp work yesterday and I was hoping I could announce I have temp work on Monday and therefore temp ratings for you all, but no dice.  I guess this is a smaller town, hence less opportunities.

In happier news we are doing a video scavenger hunt this weekend and I am really looking forward to it.  I’m not quite sure what the video part means exactly, but hell a scavenger hunt is a scavenger hunt and I’m game for anything.

My first step is finding a job.  A JOB.  Shit man.  I might have to temp for awhile depending on what the job front looks like.  So you know what that means….I’ll get to do some more temp ratings.  Look at me, looking at the bright side.  Just call me Pollyanna.

I hate looking for jobs.  I really do.  I just want to get a good job that I want to stick with for awhile.

Anyway, I’m sitting here watching Rock of Love on TV and watching three cats trying to assert their dominance in this house.  I just went out and met some of Liz and J’s friends.  We went bowling and then to Karaoke.  I bowled crappy and then sang Everything She Wants - which is a great song, but holy shit, Michaels and Ridgley didn’t know when to end their songs did they?  Maybe I should have done some Cindi Lauper instead.

So this blog entry sucks, but I wanted to just write and tell everyone I made it.

Hopefully I’ll have something fun to write about soon.